Amid grueling delays faced by motorists trying to obtain/renew their driver’s license, Assistant Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Zaki, has said that under normal circumstances, obtaining fresh/renewal of driver’s license should not take more than 60 days.

According to the FRSC chief, who is also the Zonal Commanding Officer for Zone RS2 (comprising Lagos and Ogun states), during the 60-day, interval, the applicant would be given a temporary driver’s license that would allow him/her to drive before the arrival of the permanent driver’s license.

Zaki said: “The issue of driver’s license is a shared responsibility between the FRSC, Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs). These are the three agencies involved in obtaining genuine driver’s license in the country.”

He explained that the process “begins with the applicant attending a certified driving school, where he is expected to undergo training, both practical and theory for 26 days to test his/her proficiency in driving. The applicant has to pass through the 26 sections involved in driving school, and at the end of every section, it would be recorded that the applicant has attended both theory and practical aspects of the training.

“At the end of it all, the applicant would be subjected to certain theoretical and practical tests in the school, after which he/she would fill a form for the issuance of driver’s license. Of course, this is after fulfilling all the conditions/requirements in school.

“The form would thereafter be taken to the VIO, for formal test of the applicant for driving, including certificate issued by the driving school. If the applicant passes the tests, he would be endorsed to become a driver, and the proceeds sent to the BIR.

“At this level the applicant would be requested to pay the prescribed fees and the BIR would direct the applicant to a particular bank to make payments. After the payment, the applicant would go back to the BIR to obtain evidence of payment.

“The BIR would then compile their records, with that of the bank indicating that the applicant has made the payment. At this level, the applicant would be scheduled for physical capture, which is where the applicant would come to the FRSC,” he explained.

Zaki said because of the number of persons trying to collect/renew their licenses, the FRSC would schedule when each applicant would show up for the physical capture. During the physical capture, all the bio data of the applicant would be captured while the applicant would be given a temporary driver’s license. The bio data would then be sent to the FRSC Print Farm in Abuja for printing of permanent driver’s license.”

The FRSC chief, who stated that a driver’s license costs the sum of N6, 350, as was approved by the Joint Task Board (JTB) for all applicants, added that it is mandatory for the applicant to appear before FRSC for physical capture to ensure authenticity of the license.

On the proliferation of fake licenses, Zaki said, “We do not have cases of fake driver’s licenses anymore because FRSC has changed its procedures for obtaining permanent driver’s license in our Lagos office. Now, permanent driver’s license would only be printed in our print farm in Abuja and distributed to other states of the federation for collections.”

He warned members of the public against depending on “middlemen for obtaining driver’s license because middlemen would definitely defraud you of your money. The new procedure does not allow the applicant to give money to anyone, but to make payment in the bank.”

He said, “Nigerians prefer to go through middlemen to obtain their licenses because we are too lazy. Why can’t Nigerians present themselves to FRSC, for physical capture? Before we used passport now we no longer use passport but physical bio data capture of the applicant.”

For those who are complaining of delay in the process, Zaki says, “it is not the fault of FRSC. Like I said earlier, it is a shared responsibility, so if there is delay on the part of the VIO or BIR, it is not our fault. We only take responsibility when the applicant would be sent to us for bio data capture, which does not take time.”

“FRSC does not operate driving schools, but we encourage applicants to go to registered driving schools to ensure authenticity of the training process. So, the FRSC has no business operating driving schools. It is only regulating the training process.

So, in conclusion, I would say, “Applicants should present themselves physically, for all the processes mentioned above, otherwise the driver’s license might not be theirs. If the applicant did not present his or herself physically, but decides to go through middlemen, it is the middlemen’s bio data that would to be captured.”